Preview — Shanghai Girls
by Lisa See

In 1937 Shanghai—the Paris of Asia—twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Both are beautiful, modern, and carefree—until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth. To repay his debts, he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides. As JIn 1937 Shanghai—the Paris of Asia—twenty-one-year-old Pearl Chin and her younger sister, May, are having the time of their lives. Both are beautiful, modern, and carefree—until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth. To repay his debts, he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have traveled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides. As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city, Pearl and May set out on the journey of a lifetime, from the Chinese countryside to the shores of America. Though inseparable best friends, the sisters also harbor petty jealousies and rivalries. Along the way they make terrible sacrifices, face impossible choices, and confront a devastating, life-changing secret, but through it all the two heroines of this astounding new novel hold fast to who they are—Shanghai girls....more

Hardcover, 309 pages

Published
May 26th 2009
by Random House
(first published January 1st 2009)

Community Reviews

I'm re-rating this book up to 4 stars, but with the contingency that it must be read with Dreams of Joy. When read in conjunction with the second book, this book is excellent - really emotionally powerful. Without the second book, you'll be horribly disappointed with the the last 20 pages - and wishing for 350 more. my original review is still below.********

Re-reading 5/2011 in prep for the second book Dreams of Joy. In retrospect, my review is fairly prophetic. I'm so glad there's more to the sI'm re-rating this book up to 4 stars, but with the contingency that it must be read with Dreams of Joy. When read in conjunction with the second book, this book is excellent - really emotionally powerful. Without the second book, you'll be horribly disappointed with the the last 20 pages - and wishing for 350 more. my original review is still below.********

Re-reading 5/2011 in prep for the second book Dreams of Joy. In retrospect, my review is fairly prophetic. I'm so glad there's more to the story.*******

Lisa See's new book (which I've been waiting for since her website mentioned that it was coming out months ago) does what she does best - writing about the relationships of people and the ups and downs of life long relationships. Whether it's best friends/lao tong (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan), husbands and wives (the Red Princess mystery series), a teenager's relationship with her parents (Peony in Love), Lisa has a rare ability to wrench your heart with the unbelievably powerful feelings that these relationships evoke in our lives.

She certainly did this in Shanghai Girls - this time with sisters who grew up in modern pre-WWII Shanghai, and who because of the war are forced to make huge changes in their lives for which they are entirely unprepared.

We read this story through the eyes of Pearl, the older, smarter, less attractive sister, and how she goes through her days protecting her sister, and trying to harness the sibling rivalry that always exists between them. The tension slowly grows and grows throughout the book, until the end, where if you know Lisa See books, then you know what's coming.

The reason that I gave this book three stars is because I felt that after the explosion of emotions, there was no resolution. It was too abrupt of an ending, and I felt like the characters were lost to me before it was time for them to go. I understand why Lisa ended the book where she did chronologically (it would have required some serious additional writing, and I bet the publishers wouldn't have allowed an 800 pg book) but I wish that they had. Where is my coda?

I will read it again, and enjoy it from the perspective of one who knows what's coming, but I can't say that it's my favorite Lisa See novel....more

Millie AbbottI agree. I read Dreams of Joy first. I didn't realize it had a prequel. However, I liked both books.
Nov 10, 2014 09:12AM

Mary ZambalesInitially, I rated "Shanghai Girls" 3 stars because of the ending. Yet, when I read "Dreams of Joy," I too bumped up the former's rating to 4 stars. IInitially, I rated "Shanghai Girls" 3 stars because of the ending. Yet, when I read "Dreams of Joy," I too bumped up the former's rating to 4 stars. I personally think you have to read both books to fully enjoy the story....more
Feb 25, 2015 07:03PM

Lisa’s See’s new novel, Shanghai Girls, provides a rich experience for its readers – taking them from the splendor, highlife, glamour and poverty of 1937 Shanghai to the struggles of Chinese immigrants to survive a virtual internment on Angel Island, off the coast of San Francisco, to the almost impossible challenges of trying to build a life in Los Angeles Chinatown in the context of an America that does not want them and treats them cruelly.

But despite its rich background, Shanghai Girls is ulLisa’s See’s new novel, Shanghai Girls, provides a rich experience for its readers – taking them from the splendor, highlife, glamour and poverty of 1937 Shanghai to the struggles of Chinese immigrants to survive a virtual internment on Angel Island, off the coast of San Francisco, to the almost impossible challenges of trying to build a life in Los Angeles Chinatown in the context of an America that does not want them and treats them cruelly.

But despite its rich background, Shanghai Girls is ultimately the story of two sisters – Pearl and May – who desperately strive to help each other survive and at the same time replay in their minds and actions old rivalries, jealousies, and hurts. The summary of the book on See’s web site puts it well: “They love each other but they also know exactly where to drive the knife to hurt the other sister the most.” This is most dramatically shown in the novel’s climax.

Pearl, speaking in first person, is the narrator, taking us from 1937 to 1957. This time period matches Parts IV and V of See’s On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family. The perspectives are different, however. In the memoir See is scrupulously objective in treatment family members, herself, and issues very close to her. Pearl lets us experience some of the same American experiences but from a different perspective and from the inside.

Late in the novel, Pearl reflects: “We’re told that men are strong and brave, but I think women know how to endure, accept defeat, and bear physical and mental agony much better than men.” This is certainly true of Pearl herself.

Growing up in Shanghai, the Paris of Asia, Pearl and her sister May live lives of privilege. Being a Dragon, Pearl is seen by her parents as a fiery, strong daughter who can take care of her self-absorbed Sheep sister. By the time she is 21, Pearl and May enjoy the status of being Beautiful Girls, Pearl rather insensitive to those who serve her and her wealthy family.

But then Pearl’s journey into suffering begins. Her father loses his money in gambling debts and the sisters are forced into arranged marriages. The Japanese attack China and Shanghai is attacked by air and the country invaded. In the process Pearl and her mother are brutalized by Japanese soldiers and her mother is killed.

Having lost everything, Pearl and May are forced to flee to America to find their husbands. Surviving a grueling stay at Angel Island (the Ellis Island of the West), Pearl can only hope that her husband Sam and his family will accept her since she is bringing with her a new born daughter named Joy.

Much of Shanghai Girls centers on Pearl’s attempt to adjust to life as a member of the Louie family. While May seeks happiness outside the home in her new country, especially in terms of her many associations with the glitzy world of Hollywood, Pearl sees her life as unending drudgery as she is locked into a routine of cleaning and cooking, working in her father-in-law’s various business enterprises, and caring for Joy. In addition, she is largely responsible for caring for Vern, May’s young and critically ill husband.

Although her father-in-law gradually comes to include Pearl, May, and Joy as true members of his family, Pearl grows closer to her mother-in-law, and discovers that her lower class husband is indeed an Ox in the truest sense, deeply loving and caring for his family, her new Christian and much older Chinese values are tested by the terrors of the McCarthy era of anti-communism accompanied by serious mistreatment of most Chinese people.

At the end of the novel the two sisters directly confront each other at last, venting all the anger and hurt each has repressed previously. Despite being very angry at May for what Pearl feels are very good reasons, May’s attacks and self-defense make her realize that she may have been mistaken in many of her core beliefs over the years.

But finally it is Joy who saves Pearl. When she reaches the point where she will give up everything for Joy, Pearl truly becomes her mother’s daughter -- and in the process becomes the Dragon she was meant to be.

This book was very disappointing. I went into it eager to learn about this point in history and this should have been a good book considering the premise of the story. I think it started out well and the family and events in China held my interest and seemed well-defined. Still, the tragedies never felt that compelling, and even what should have outraged me when they arrived in the US, never had the impact they would have if better written. I should have gotten angry, I should have cried, I shouThis book was very disappointing. I went into it eager to learn about this point in history and this should have been a good book considering the premise of the story. I think it started out well and the family and events in China held my interest and seemed well-defined. Still, the tragedies never felt that compelling, and even what should have outraged me when they arrived in the US, never had the impact they would have if better written. I should have gotten angry, I should have cried, I should have felt more for the characters. The book evolved into a long narrative that just seemed to state dates and facts without any depth and then finally reveals what was the obvious plot point all along. Did we ever know the Uncles? Vern? The girls friends? Sam? NO, only as Pearl and May see them, not a real people. I would like to have read this story (a good one) written by a different author. And I agree with the other reviewer who stated that the abrupt ending seems to just be setting up a sequel. Think I'll pass on that if it does happen....more

Jannatun ZamanWhat you say is actually true. I should've felt more emotions while reading the book but there was nothing but mild interest and indifference. This boWhat you say is actually true. I should've felt more emotions while reading the book but there was nothing but mild interest and indifference. This book showed Chinese culture with an insipid flare. Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Sun's is a compelling master piece and this book actually makes readers cry. Lisa See wrote Shanghai Girls from Pearl's point of view which tinged the entire text with a hint of bitterness and envy for her younger sister May. Pearl's offhanded explanation of everything reflects off as very unemotional repelling any sympathy that readers could have shared. Such as, when she was brutally gang-raped by a group of Japanese soldiers all she says after a few months casually is “I often thought about suicide in the days after the rape, but no more.” Besides the narration the story moved placidly without much concrete basis on a single conflict. However, the story was entertaining and showed the struggles of immigration, arranged marriages, and racial barriers. This book was overall enjoyable....more
Nov 02, 2014 01:21PM

Maedot AdmassuI agree with you in that the novel felt short at the end, even if a sequel was in store. In the beginning, the troubles that fell upon Pearl and May sI agree with you in that the novel felt short at the end, even if a sequel was in store. In the beginning, the troubles that fell upon Pearl and May seemed like it was going to build into a great story line and some awesome character development. Such as when their father gambled the families money away, Pearl and May could've taken it into their own hands to keep their family afloat, like Pearl said they were adults (See 21), instead they go off to see Z.G. again (See 30). That was the beginning of my disappointment.

When the Japanese attacked Pearl and her mother (See 74-77), and her mother eventually dies, Pearl and May just skim over that part. It was an essential part of the story, the mother not only was killed by Japanese soldiers, but they were also raped. They could've had great character development here, but it was again ignored.

And once Pearl and May were in America, new characters were introduced. There were uncles every where and See made sure to emphasize each one when they meet (See 131-132), but they fall off in the end.

So many things in this novel were left unsaid, making me dislike it to a certain extent. (But I did enjoy some of the historical aspect of it.)...more
Apr 25, 2015 10:56AM

This was the third book I've read by this author and I'm still confused as to my feelings for her writing. The first book I read, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, I loved. I think it was all the descriptions and information about the cultural nuances, including foot binding. Then, I was excited to read, Peony in Love, until I actually started it. Then, I thought maybe this book would turn the tide either way. Unfortunately, I'm still ambivalent. It was an interesting enough story: two "modern" siThis was the third book I've read by this author and I'm still confused as to my feelings for her writing. The first book I read, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, I loved. I think it was all the descriptions and information about the cultural nuances, including foot binding. Then, I was excited to read, Peony in Love, until I actually started it. Then, I thought maybe this book would turn the tide either way. Unfortunately, I'm still ambivalent. It was an interesting enough story: two "modern" sisters escape the country into arranged marriages in the United States, but it lacked the interesting older cultural nuances that I so enjoy. Plus, and please forgive me if you adore history, reading about war bores me. Thank you to everyone who has served or is serving our country. We would not have the freedoms we have now were it not for people giving their life, but reading a fictional account of any war is not something I normally enjoy. I guess I will wait until this author writes something else and decide then if I'm interested enough to read it. If you like to read about Chinese culture, skip this one and "Peony in Love" and go straight to Snow Flower and the Secret Fan....more

I fell in love with Lisa See's writing a few years ago when I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. As such, I was really looking forward to reading Shanghai Girls when it came out. Initially though, people began saying that it did not compare. So it was with trepidation that I began reading this book, afraid that I would be disappointed. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. All I can say is that Lisa See has another hit on her hands with this wonderful story of two sisters who emigrate from Shanghai to AmericaI fell in love with Lisa See's writing a few years ago when I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. As such, I was really looking forward to reading Shanghai Girls when it came out. Initially though, people began saying that it did not compare. So it was with trepidation that I began reading this book, afraid that I would be disappointed. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. All I can say is that Lisa See has another hit on her hands with this wonderful story of two sisters who emigrate from Shanghai to America around the time of the cultural revolution in China. From the beginning of the book in Shanghai, through their journey out of China, to their stay on Angel Island, and finally their life in Southern California, I was captivated by Pearl and her sister May. Two sisters could not be more different, but more attached than the two women in this book.

As usual, See has imbued this story with a wonderful cast of characters who surround the sisters and help tell the story of the bewilderment of the Chinese population after the 1937 invasion by Japan, the assimilation of the Chinese into American society in the 1940s and 50s, and finally, the mistrust, prejudice, and panic in the US towards Chinese Americans after the rise to power in China of Mao Tse Tung. See is such a gifted storyteller, that you feel like you know the characters personally and the pages just fly by.

My only complaint was that the end of the story left so many loose ends. In a way it was fitting, but at the same time there were many questions left unanswered. I was, therefore, very excited to hear that Lisa See is planning to continue the story of Pearl, May, and Joy in another book. ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.I really disliked this book and I'm extra disappoined about it because I loved Snow Flower and the Secret Fan so much!

It starts out OK with the depiction of Shanghai but never did anything to make me feel a connection to the characters. Pearl is just pure, unadulterated grouch, and May is a completly selfish jerk (or is she? the last few pages make me wonder if she's fine but grouchy Pearl made me hate her!)

Most of the book is just a boring list of things that happened. We worked at China City.I really disliked this book and I'm extra disappoined about it because I loved Snow Flower and the Secret Fan so much!

It starts out OK with the depiction of Shanghai but never did anything to make me feel a connection to the characters. Pearl is just pure, unadulterated grouch, and May is a completly selfish jerk (or is she? the last few pages make me wonder if she's fine but grouchy Pearl made me hate her!)

Most of the book is just a boring list of things that happened. We worked at China City. We spoke Sze Yup. Sam had iron fan. Louie was mean. We did the husband-wife thing (what a super annoying term!) and Vern had melting-bone disease.(What was the deal with Vern anyway? Was he retarded, autistic, Down's Syndrome, just sickly, what?? He had no purpose at all except for the stupid model boats at the end.)

The only exciting thing was when May FINALLY yelled at Pearl and told her to stop being such an in sufferable bitch! Not soon enough!

I can't believe that there is a sequel because I can't imagine that people want to spend more time with these cardboard people. ...more

I'm going to have to admit that I stayed up 'til all hours of the night to read this book. But, that being said, I also have to say that in my opinion it's not a very good book at all. The plot is rollicking (the main characters, formerly wealthy girls in Shanghai, must escape both gangsters and the Japanese; then they go to California to join the men they've wed, first coping with a grueling and prolonged interrogation process on Angel Island; get involved in the movie business and the touristI'm going to have to admit that I stayed up 'til all hours of the night to read this book. But, that being said, I also have to say that in my opinion it's not a very good book at all. The plot is rollicking (the main characters, formerly wealthy girls in Shanghai, must escape both gangsters and the Japanese; then they go to California to join the men they've wed, first coping with a grueling and prolonged interrogation process on Angel Island; get involved in the movie business and the tourist trade in L. A.'s China City; face more questions about their immigration decades later, etc. -- while also dealing with broken love affairs, sibling rivalry, rape, suicide, etc.) and also totally unbelievable. You might say that Amy Tan puts her characters through as much drama, but somehow I find Tan convincing where See is altogether not. As I was reading, I tried to put my finger on what was wrong. For one thing, See's writing just isn't strong enough to convince me of the truth of her characters' psychology. One particularly exasperating sentence appears on p. 104: "I'm May's jie jie, and I've always thought we are as close as can be, but I've been so concerned with my own miseries -- losing Z. G., leaving home, being raped, almost dying, getting here -- that I haven't paid attention every time May has thrown up these past weeks and months." What person who has lived through so much torture would simply list these traumas as Pearl does here?!! Which brings me to my second (and related) point: I just can't see any Chinese woman speaking as openly as Pearl does. Her voice just doesn't feel Chinese to me, or at least not the way the voice of someone of her generation should feel, in my opinion. She reveals the most private, painful kinds of events in a way that is too open, too unguarded, too lacking in subtlety. What Chinese woman (or any woman) would speak this way? Somehow writers like Amy Tan can pull it off (Tan's language is strange, weird, and powerful enough to convey strange, weird, and powerful events), but in See's pedestrian, bland prose, this story is only soap opera and pop psychology. A far better recent book about Chinese immigrant experience is Jen Sookfong Lee's "The End of East."...more

MoneillI agree with your review. I felt the dialogue was vy contrived and the entire plot over fictionalized. She was cramming too much into the story. ThankI agree with your review. I felt the dialogue was vy contrived and the entire plot over fictionalized. She was cramming too much into the story. Thank you for your suggestion for the "End of East." I enjoy Amy Tan's writing very much - two of my favorites being "The Kitchen God's Wife" and "The Hundred Secret Senses", and her work much more realistic....more
Jul 08, 2010 08:33AM

Lisa See brings out my finest emotions. The array of words is sown deep in my mind without the fear of being uprooted. I have a younger sister; never liked when she was born. I was extremely envious of her robbing all the parental attention. Over the years through our subtle rivalries and treacherous fights we grew closer and protective of each other. Although she is four years younger than me, I feel maternal towards her, trying every possible way to shelter her happiness and smile. I do not beLisa See brings out my finest emotions. The array of words is sown deep in my mind without the fear of being uprooted. I have a younger sister; never liked when she was born. I was extremely envious of her robbing all the parental attention. Over the years through our subtle rivalries and treacherous fights we grew closer and protective of each other. Although she is four years younger than me, I feel maternal towards her, trying every possible way to shelter her happiness and smile. I do not believe in love but I know for sure that I would do anything for her in a heartbeat.

Pearl Long resembles my sentiments or for that matter myself .Born in the Year of the Dragon, she is strong, indomitable and vulnerable yet to find her true self. Oblivious of her parent’s love, she longs for the attention that presumably is showered on her younger sibling May.

May Long born in the Year of the Sheep, is coquettish, loquacious and a stark opposite of Pearl. Astonishingly it is May who assumes Pearl to be her parent’s favorite. Envious of Pearl’s college education she yearns for everything that Pearl desires.

Irrespective of several reviews, to me ‘Shanghai Girls’ is Pearl’s passage through an intricate web of chance, fortune and destiny.

Pearl’s account relays from 1937-1957, encompassing all aspects of a modern Chinese family dwelling in the pre Sino-Japanese war era; contemporary, yet traditionalist.Born in an elite bourgeois social standing, Pearl enjoys all the privileges of being served and pampered. She and May known for their striking features acquire the title of Beautiful Girls, posing for all modeling and artistic calendars. Insensitive to lesser mortals, Pearl envisions her life with Z.G. her coy crush with whom she would marry and reside away from her family. At the age of 21, all her dreams come crashing down as her father loses the family fortune in a gambling tryst. In order to save his family from ruins he unwillingly promises his daughters to the sons of Old Man Louie, an American-Chinese, creating a merciful situation amid all members. Thus, begins a death defying and deceitful journey that questions the love between the two sisters amid their destiny to be bonded as a family.

As the narration proceeds, one witness the family going through impoverish circumstances, coerced arranged marriages, the advent of Sino-Japanese war and later a masquerade of veiled secrets and acrid relationships.

It is during the Sino-Japanese war that Pearl discovers her true destiny. A brutal rape attack by the Japanese soldiers leaves her mother dead and Pearl is besieged by the prospect of normality and childless procurement."It is said that a Dragon born in a storm will have a particularly tempestuous fate. You always believe you are right, and this makes you do things you shouldn’t. You’re a Dragon, and of all the signs only a Dragon can tame the fates. Only a Dragon can wear the horns of destiny, duty, and power. Your sister is merely a Sheep. You have always been a better mother to her than I have."

True to her Dragon persona, Pearl shields May’s illicit pregnancy from her in-laws and even goes to adopt her daughter Joy, unknown to the fact that the existence of Joy will open an envelope of treachery and remorse.

Every one of us has in him a continent of undiscovered character. Blessed is he who acts the Columbus to his own soul.Pearl found her fierce element that helped her to conceal her fate with May forgivingly whilst adamantly coming in her own as a devoted mother who she never knew existed.

Lisa comes very close to penning a flawless novel. Alas! With a sluggish start and the open lucidity of an inexplicable plot, the book at times fails to capture the mandatory attention making one skip the repetitive description to bypass the stagnated phase. Nevertheless, it is unproblematic to overlook this criterion and discover the brilliance of Lisa See....more

Paul BryantNice review.... When I am next in a boring meeting i shall exclaim "Skip the repetitive description and bypass the stagnated phase! Otherwise you willNice review.... When I am next in a boring meeting i shall exclaim "Skip the repetitive description and bypass the stagnated phase! Otherwise you will fail to capture the mandatory attention!"...more
updated
Sep 20, 2010 05:27AM

PrajPaul wrote: "Nice review.... When I am next in a boring meeting i shall exclaim "Skip the repetitive description and bypass the stagnated phase! OtherPaul wrote: "Nice review.... When I am next in a boring meeting i shall exclaim "Skip the repetitive description and bypass the stagnated phase! Otherwise you will fail to capture the mandatory attention!""

This is the second Lisa See novel that I've read, and both times when I've finished her books I've felt vaguely duped. There's so much historical detail in here, much of it grim, that I feel like I must be reading something sweeping and important. But the character-driven parts of the plot (often about tensions and jealousies in close female relationships) remind me more of...Danielle Steel, maybe? Dare I say it? Something kind of primal and potboiler-y and not too nuanced. So and so is the pretThis is the second Lisa See novel that I've read, and both times when I've finished her books I've felt vaguely duped. There's so much historical detail in here, much of it grim, that I feel like I must be reading something sweeping and important. But the character-driven parts of the plot (often about tensions and jealousies in close female relationships) remind me more of...Danielle Steel, maybe? Dare I say it? Something kind of primal and potboiler-y and not too nuanced. So and so is the pretty one. So and so is the rich one. So and so slept with my boyfriend. Or whatever. These dime-store drama elements, combined with the interesting and frequently heartbreaking historical aspects, make me wonder what exactly I'm reading.

See puts you through a lot with her characters in Shanghai Girls -- even after the worst of their hardships are over, they can't seem to catch a break. And then the resolution is so abrupt and unsatisfying that I wonder if she's setting up a sequel. But still, it's hard to put down, and I raced through it. We'll see what the book club thinks.

J SherriffI agree with your assessment. It almost felt like Lisa See decided she'd written enough and to end it she invented two events that just don't seem toI agree with your assessment. It almost felt like Lisa See decided she'd written enough and to end it she invented two events that just don't seem to fit in the conculsion of the story. I agree, I felt duped....more
Jan 14, 2011 08:35AM

Maedot AdmassuI completely agree with you. I loved the historical aspects of the story. From reading about what Shanghai was like back in those days to the JapaneseI completely agree with you. I loved the historical aspects of the story. From reading about what Shanghai was like back in those days to the Japanese invasion of China, I felt like I was really a seeing those times. See was very realistic about the war crimes that occurred during that war and I loved that, it showed the reality of time.

But then See decided to combine war stories and hardships with two spoilt girls that did little to add to the story. It seemed like See herself felt that way since she made the actual events surrounding the girls to be blunt and scare. They did this and that and then the end.

They had to move to a foreign land and had to work like they never had before, but yet they still worried about materialistic things, such as their dress that Father Louis took (See 134). They had bigger things to deal with, but instead they focused on petty things that could not have helped them. See focused on those things rather than the long hours they worked, living with strangers, the racism, and keeping a huge secret (which they again completely ignored, like really Joy felt as though she didn't know anything due to the secret of her birth).

And what really got me angry is how See completely diverged speaking about how Sam's suicide was the fault of May when Joy runs away (See 289-303). Yes Joy running away is very important, but what May did was unforgivable.

I just felt completely frustrated while reading this book, maybe the sequel will be better...but I won't read it....more
Apr 25, 2015 11:12AM

I'm sorry to say that I thought this book was horrible. As a huge fan of Snowflower and the Secret Fan and of the beautiful characters, beautifully described scenery, tragedies, hardships, and the deep bonds between the characters within it, I went into this book hoping for something of the same. I felt the character development in this book was forced, I thought the story was all over the place, and there was never and deep understanding of the people within it. Maybe it's because I never identI'm sorry to say that I thought this book was horrible. As a huge fan of Snowflower and the Secret Fan and of the beautiful characters, beautifully described scenery, tragedies, hardships, and the deep bonds between the characters within it, I went into this book hoping for something of the same. I felt the character development in this book was forced, I thought the story was all over the place, and there was never and deep understanding of the people within it. Maybe it's because I never identified with any of the characters. I thought May was spoiled and silly, I thought Pearl was, well, boring. I never warmed to the Louie family. It was anticlimactic, sort of going along until it was just over. There were a few random tragedies near the end, but none of it moved me. I see that my opinion is in the minority but frankly I just really expected more from this book. By the end I was just skimming through it, stopping to catch up after 20 or so pages to see if it drew me back in. It never did....more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.Lisa See’s book about China in 1937 stretching until shortly after the reign of communism begins is probably the most difficult book I have ever rated.

Ever.

Going into this review I fully understand I was not raised in the Chinese culture and well, I’m white. I don’t understand the reactions of the characters to situations and other characters. That’s why while I say this book is the most depressing book I have ever read and I actually sympathize with the character who committed suicide because tLisa See’s book about China in 1937 stretching until shortly after the reign of communism begins is probably the most difficult book I have ever rated.

Ever.

Going into this review I fully understand I was not raised in the Chinese culture and well, I’m white. I don’t understand the reactions of the characters to situations and other characters. That’s why while I say this book is the most depressing book I have ever read and I actually sympathize with the character who committed suicide because this book offered little hope and out of all 300 pages or so, you saw 2 paragraphs of happiness and even that was strained.

The book begins with Pearl and May, 2 sisters in Shanghai when they are roughly 18 and 21. Pearl, the oldest, is immediately identified as the lesser sister in their parents eyes having to endure demeaning ridicule and comparison to her younger, prettier, and daintier sister, May. As Pearl is telling this story in first person, you really feel how sad and embarrassed she is of herself. However, through it all, even with her parents obviously favoritism of her sister May, she takes care of her, and protects her, being her jie jie.

In the first few chapters we realize their Baba (father) is a gambling man who lost everything to debtors, even his own daughters in an arranged marriage. Up until then they always thought that unlike their parents, they would be able to marry for love and choose their partner themselves. They meet with Sam and Vern, the two men they will be marrying, which is out of tradition, but they are allowed to meet once before the wedding. Sam is a quiet and handsome man, very caring and mindful, while Vern is naught but 14 and very good at it, even a little less than mature. Pearl is to marry Sam, May is to marry Vern.

A little while later, 17 days, their new husbands to be are due for return from a “business trip” from Hong Kong for the marriage ceremony to take place. They after dodging, and Pearl being in love with another man, realize they have no choice to go through with it and they do.

When japan declares war on China, the city is bombed, people are dying all around them, and in defiance, they threw away the tickets that would have taken them to America to meet their husbands. When things get back, and their father either runs off from his debtors or is killed, their mother and them start trying to make their own way to America using the little money their mother stowed away from their father’s gambling habit.

Through rape, the death of their mother, and persistence, they finally board a ship to take them to Angel Island, the west’s version of Ellis Island. They find out May is pregnant, and not by her 14 year old husband, so while in detainment before being allowed to go home to their husbands, Pearl decides to raise the baby as her own since she had actually had sex with her husband on the wedding night.

If you are looking for a happy life in America, it’s not here. If this sounds sad thus far, it only gets worse. It’s more of May being terrible and selfish toward her sister, living in a tradition Chinese home with her in laws, her husband, her sister, and her sister’s husband who is not only younger, and a very sweet boy, is ill with disease and mentally slow. The daughter that Pearl raises, Joy, is an absolute ingrate towards the end and continues to step all over her mother, and even her good natured and strong father. May is continually selfish being the almost privileged girl in life and blaming her poor sister who has done nothing but sacrificed for her.

If you either understand the culture, both traditionally and the earlier to mid turn of the 20th century or are just one of those people who don’t mind being surrounded in misery from first to last page, then I have never read a better book for you. Being I am not, I didn’t really enjoy the book on an emotional level, but the story is well written and flows enough to keep you interested and hoping for a better ending that never comes....more

Good, solid read. Strong storytelling. She's clever to have kept mentioning that the girls' English was 'perfect' because this helped with voice authenticity. Otherwise, the narrative would have seemed too Americanized. On the other hand, I felt let down by the last quarter of the book, and completely nonplussed by the ending. It all felt rushed, as if she was running to the end, and not entirely believable. In fact, I DIDNT's believe it! It just doesn't seem real that in the 1950s a young ChineGood, solid read. Strong storytelling. She's clever to have kept mentioning that the girls' English was 'perfect' because this helped with voice authenticity. Otherwise, the narrative would have seemed too Americanized. On the other hand, I felt let down by the last quarter of the book, and completely nonplussed by the ending. It all felt rushed, as if she was running to the end, and not entirely believable. In fact, I DIDNT's believe it! It just doesn't seem real that in the 1950s a young Chinese American girl would just run away, disappear like that, supposedly off to Communist China. Still, a very solid read. I might try more from this author....more

Elizabeth K.just finished this, and I agree, I couldn't believe the ending -- I can't even imagine how the characters would come up with that as a realistic planjust finished this, and I agree, I couldn't believe the ending -- I can't even imagine how the characters would come up with that as a realistic plan or one that would have an outcome that's remotely positive....more
Mar 16, 2012 01:27PM

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.Lisa See confuses me a bit as an author. I loved Peony in Love and got both Shanghai Girls and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan to take on a recent trip. As usual, See gripped me from the start with Shanghai Girls, immersing me in a whole new world and surprising me with every sentence. "Couldn't put it down" stuff. But about 3/4 through the book - and, as it turns out Snow Flower as well - she began to heap so many tragedies on her main characters that I sort of numbed out. I'm not sure why she dLisa See confuses me a bit as an author. I loved Peony in Love and got both Shanghai Girls and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan to take on a recent trip. As usual, See gripped me from the start with Shanghai Girls, immersing me in a whole new world and surprising me with every sentence. "Couldn't put it down" stuff. But about 3/4 through the book - and, as it turns out Snow Flower as well - she began to heap so many tragedies on her main characters that I sort of numbed out. I'm not sure why she does this. See creates such memorable and nuanced characters that we care about them by that point in the book and will keenly feel anything they go through. It just isn't necessary to unleash such a torrent of disaster that multiple characters die and whole worlds are upended. Are her plot choices realistic for the times and places where her characters live? Probably. But a little restraint would make her books even more palatable to me. She's a fantastic writer. She can do more with less....more

Bethmuse63I've come to a point where I am a little tired of the idea that good stories must have ambiguous endings or at the very least not work out too neatly.I've come to a point where I am a little tired of the idea that good stories must have ambiguous endings or at the very least not work out too neatly. Whatever. I know that neat is not life, but if the book is well written and tells an intelligent story, I'm not sure I understand the current fixation of having things fall apart or having big questions that are central to the plot remain unanswered. Does ambiguous = profound? I guess I missed that somewhere. I have not read this book, so I'm not commenting on it specifically. Just a general observation....more
May 23, 2010 06:54PM

Erin JonesThats also how I felt when I read Shanghai Girls. That was the first book I read by her. I understood that the first bombing someone would die and theThats also how I felt when I read Shanghai Girls. That was the first book I read by her. I understood that the first bombing someone would die and then, yeah, her mother back in China, but then in America everyone else died, too. Then when there is no one else her daughter runs away. It seemed to me that many of the details could have been shorter in the middle so she could include maybe fifty or so extra pages to tell about her daughter and finding her in China. And, I don't know if you noticed this or not, maybe its just her writing style, she seemed to repeat things a lot. I just wish the book wasn't so tragic. I know it's based during war and depression and communist doings, but really? I am not saying I didn't like it. I really liked it and it has been on my mind since I finished it. I just wish that she had added a few more pages to finish the story. Not necessarily neat and tidy, but with just a little more finality....more
Jul 05, 2010 06:44AM

Bethanyprice17I have to agree. Shanghai girls was not my favorite See novel, although I did enjoy it. I found that I had the same reaction--about 3/4 through, I begI have to agree. Shanghai girls was not my favorite See novel, although I did enjoy it. I found that I had the same reaction--about 3/4 through, I began to feel it was unbelievable in a sense. 'Saturated' is the best way to describe it. I know that tragedy and loss are inescapable, especially given these circumstances, but I think that the story could have ended without all of the detail and loss of the Red Scare and the trauma that ensued from there. The escape from China, the complicated marriages, and the love developed in their new family and country was a rich story all its own....more
Jul 24, 2010 12:15PM

I have really mixed feelings about this book, it's almost like the book is horrible and beautiful at the same time. The book is told from the perspective of the oldest of two beautiful Chinese sisters growing up in Shanghai during the 1930's. They live a pampered life until suddenly their father loses everything and sells them as brides to two young men from America to repay a debt. The book follows the sisters as they are forced to flee from their native country and find refuge in the home of tI have really mixed feelings about this book, it's almost like the book is horrible and beautiful at the same time. The book is told from the perspective of the oldest of two beautiful Chinese sisters growing up in Shanghai during the 1930's. They live a pampered life until suddenly their father loses everything and sells them as brides to two young men from America to repay a debt. The book follows the sisters as they are forced to flee from their native country and find refuge in the home of their husbands, about whom they know nothing at all. First of all, this book is not for everyone. The book takes place at the outbreak of war between Japan and China and there are some brutal scenes related to the war. One particular passage left me with the chills. That said I had a hard time putting this book down. Since the book is about sisters there are all the usual emotions that accompany even the best of sister relationships including jealousy and a fierce protective kind of love. There are also some very beautiful passages as the sisters come to appreciate their own mother and learn how even sisters can have incredibly different perceptions about the same events and people. I give the book three stars because the ending left me hanging. I didn't feel like I was done learning about the characters and I wanted more resolution....more

Kiona JohnsonWell Monica I felt the same way. That particular scene gave me chills and made a little understanding of Pearl's defiance. To be candid I wouldn't havWell Monica I felt the same way. That particular scene gave me chills and made a little understanding of Pearl's defiance. To be candid I wouldn't have even came out of my hiding place. I also felt though the book left me hanging on the location and identity of people. Such as the dad. Where did he go? Or,what was the identity of the man who helped he in the rickshaw. Or, what happened to Pearl's crush. Overall this book kept me very tentative....more
Dec 12, 2013 06:41PM

Jannatun ZamanYes, the ending was wrapped up forcefully and left a bitter aftertaste. However, that is why you should read Dreams of Joy. Shanghai Girls is like a fYes, the ending was wrapped up forcefully and left a bitter aftertaste. However, that is why you should read Dreams of Joy. Shanghai Girls is like a family album of Pearl and May, with Lisa See trying to place as many photos as she can in each page. We have Pearl's Chinese American coffee shop after they arrive in America, May's business in getting extras and props for the "oriental" film industry of Hollywood, Madame Chiang Kai-shek, May's daughter Joy in kindergarten wearing her favorite cowgirl outfit, Anna May Wong , and even the Chinese men enlisting in the U.S. Army to earn citizenship. Lisa See's emotional themes come off as placid but meaningful. While I dislike the abrupt ending as well I can't be all too dissapointed because I have yet to read the next book and I feel Lisa See's ending would have been worse if she didn't decide to make a sequel and instead cram everything into the last few pages or even chapters of Shanghai Girls....more
Nov 02, 2014 01:39PM

I picked this one up per a friend's suggestion. I love works of well-crafted historical fiction and a woman in Barnes & Noble said that I might enjoy the novel if I liked Memoirs of a Geisha (one of my absolute favorites).

I had never read any of Lisa See's other works. With Shanghai Girls, she clearly did her homework. There are plenty of authenticating details and the novel touches upon interesting aspects of Chinese/American history that I feel not many would know much about otherwise.

HoI picked this one up per a friend's suggestion. I love works of well-crafted historical fiction and a woman in Barnes & Noble said that I might enjoy the novel if I liked Memoirs of a Geisha (one of my absolute favorites).

I had never read any of Lisa See's other works. With Shanghai Girls, she clearly did her homework. There are plenty of authenticating details and the novel touches upon interesting aspects of Chinese/American history that I feel not many would know much about otherwise.

However, as a reader and a writer-in-progress, I had some rather large issues with the craft.

The authenticating details that might have been used to better encompass the reader and invite them into a world that is intriguing, harsh, and--for some--exotic, become the novel's downfall. See often reveals details about the time, place, and culture in her characters' dialogue, which often felt scripted and unrealistic.

Her characters often felt more like hypothetical, crafted figures than real people. As a result, I found myself feeling rather isolated and separate from the story. I felt little connection to their plights and heartbreak, of which there is an abundance throughout the novel. The novel was more of a detailed report of historical events, a series of happenings that happened to happen all to the narrator and her family.

I had a professor who once remarked that a story is driven by a question: "What are we reading to find out?" In Shanghai Girls, the answer seems to be that we are reading to find out what happens to these girls. But that's it. It's a series of events happening to these people. How they handle what happens to them, the more poignant and thought-provoking spots in the novel, often feels neglected or swallowed up. And the characters' real motivations are often unclear. Throughout a good portion of the novel, I was driven to finish reading the novel because of my agitation rather than feelings of suspense or emotional connections to the characters.

Pearl herself, even after the novel's close, remains a mystery to me. The first person narration often muddled my understanding of her character, since the connections between her hindsight reflections and her in-the-moment actions vary and jump around from the beginning to the end. Her objective, as she even says [in different words, perhaps], is to survive. But that seems to be all I know about her. She is a victim of many horrible happenings, but that's all she is as a character. A victim. While I did feel a certain degree of sympathy towards her, I was not as moved as I had hoped to be.

On the cover of the book, The Washington Post writes that "See's emotional themes are powerful...the bonds of sisterhood [and] the psychological journey of becoming an American." These themes are certainly present, but they are often heavy-handed and forgotten, eaten up by clumsy historical details and--again--unrealistic dialogue. These themes are most poignant and provacative in the ending of the novel.

The ending, which I felt was certainly the strongest and most moving part of Shanghai Girls felt far too short and truly, unfinished. Pearl has obviously undergone a significant--and necessary--change. She's begun to stand up for herself. But her emotional journey seems to have only just begun. As a reader, I could not project what might happen to Pearl, her "daughter" Joy, or her sister May. Their fates are left entirely undecided. The emotional drama between the three most important characters in the story is entirely unresolved. I had far too many questions at the end to feel at all satisfied by its conclusion. It feels like it's only just begun.

I always hate being so overly critical, but this one just wasn't for me. ...more

I understand that this happened to a lot of people during World War II, the whole rape-sad-escape-sad-angelisland-sad-babydies-sad-ostracized-sad-husbanddies-sad...but dude the entire book is sad and depressing.

The thing is, it's not even sad in a beautiful, emotional way. It's not sad that it will make me cry. It's sad because I'm horrified and angered and all shivery from the horrific scenes painted in such great detail. It's sThis is quite possibly the most depressing book I have ever read.

I understand that this happened to a lot of people during World War II, the whole rape-sad-escape-sad-angelisland-sad-babydies-sad-ostracized-sad-husbanddies-sad...but dude the entire book is sad and depressing.

The thing is, it's not even sad in a beautiful, emotional way. It's not sad that it will make me cry. It's sad because I'm horrified and angered and all shivery from the horrific scenes painted in such great detail. It's sad because frankly, I hate all the characters except possibly Sam. None of them are remotely likeable, because they're all selfish and greedy and liars and proud.

Although granted, who am I to talk? Hard circumstances do that to you.

The sister bond is the one thing that is pretty well portrayed.

Pearl's cowardice and pride, May's selfishness and shallowness all just bother me so much.

There's a phrase in Chinese, chi ku (eat bitterness), which Lisa See's Shanghai Girls exemplifies perfectly. From one end of the book to the other, there's nothing but hardships and heartaches.

The first hardship I found is not actually in the story in the novel, but comes from the novel itself. See writes in the first person through the voice of Pearl, a girl growing up in Shanghai during the volatile Sino-Japanese war. Unfortunately, Pearl seems too self-aware of other people's thoughts, motiveThere's a phrase in Chinese, chi ku (eat bitterness), which Lisa See's Shanghai Girls exemplifies perfectly. From one end of the book to the other, there's nothing but hardships and heartaches.

The first hardship I found is not actually in the story in the novel, but comes from the novel itself. See writes in the first person through the voice of Pearl, a girl growing up in Shanghai during the volatile Sino-Japanese war. Unfortunately, Pearl seems too self-aware of other people's thoughts, motives, and the world in general. Writing in the first person voice, but with an omniscient view of the environment makes Pearl's thoughts feel artificial and awkward.

Another thing I found difficult to overcome in the novel were the inconsistent choice of Chinese words. The author insists on using the Cantonese word cheongsam for the traditional dresses worn by women at that time, trying to give Pearl a continental and modern flare, yet uses the traditional and scholarly term 'wu dialect' instead of the modern 'Shanghainese.' I still think that if Pearl were a Shanghai girl, she would have said qi pao, the Mandarin word for cheongsam.

If one can get over the technical problems of the novel, it's easy to get sucked into the twists and turns of the two Shanghainese girls. But be warned, the book really is like vicariously eating bitterness. There are several graphic scenes that I found difficult to read as well as parts where I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. See does a decent job of illuminating the difficulties women and the Chinese in general faced during that time.

At the end of Shanghai Girls, I literally sighed. The story has so much potential to be epic, yet falls slightly short of that because of technical difficulties I couldn't overlook. Maybe I'm just being snobbish because my hometown is Shanghai, but the novel could have been so much better....more

This book is good, but why is it that folks don't TELL each other stuff? Is it because it makes for a better story? You get a climax when folks find out EVERYTHING in a gush of anger and such.It' can't be healthy.

I still like this book, but I need to add the fact that does old school China HAVE to be so sad?Even in the US these poor women get such a raw deal, especially Pearl. Her life sucked the most! All that stuff happens to her in Shanghai, they are practically enslaved by that old man. TheyThis book is good, but why is it that folks don't TELL each other stuff? Is it because it makes for a better story? You get a climax when folks find out EVERYTHING in a gush of anger and such.It' can't be healthy.

I still like this book, but I need to add the fact that does old school China HAVE to be so sad?Even in the US these poor women get such a raw deal, especially Pearl. Her life sucked the most! All that stuff happens to her in Shanghai, they are practically enslaved by that old man. They work constantly, only to have to deal with racists. They don't really get to have much pleasure and enjoyment. Except for May, maybe. But she's married to a teenager with developmental delays, so it's not as if her life is a nice steaming cup of Chinese tea, but it's more like a steaming cup of endless misery broken only by acting and guilting her sister into doing what she wants her to do.

Read it again, it's still good, but dammit, women why don't you TALK about these things instead of just yelling them at the end of the book? And again I wonder what these folks would have to say about me, the Wood Horse. I don't think I'm very outgoing, but I am rather free spirited. Would they be like, she's a Horse so she is like this and wants to do her thing but we must put a rein on her and teach her how to be more proper when all she wants to do is kick her hooves up in the air and run in some field winnying happily and freely while her mane flows in the wind?

Dammit, I want a horse. Also, dang Old school Chinese stories are depressing. Like that movie with Gong Li, and no it wasn't To Raise the Red Latterns, though that was frigging depressing. Why didn't they go, oh, that is it, I'm not putting up with this shit and OUST that asshole man? No, in this movie she was married to an abusive asshole, but was in love with his son and even when he was dead, could they be together and happily have sex? Of course not! AUGH! ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.My god, these women are insufferable.

Kidding, kidding. In essence, there are several distinct 'problems' with this book, that are most glaring at the beginning and ending sections. For a fair chunk of the middle, I was actually enjoying it, despite the clunky writing. I was prepared to give it three stars for it's realistic handling of the hardships and racism faced by these people, and it's focus on the experiences of women, which as we all know doesn't happen as often as it should. CharactersMy god, these women are insufferable.

Kidding, kidding. In essence, there are several distinct 'problems' with this book, that are most glaring at the beginning and ending sections. For a fair chunk of the middle, I was actually enjoying it, despite the clunky writing. I was prepared to give it three stars for it's realistic handling of the hardships and racism faced by these people, and it's focus on the experiences of women, which as we all know doesn't happen as often as it should. Characters that appeared villainous at first were given their own sympathetic traits. Lisa See clearly did her research and the experiences she was describing felt authentic. I would have been willing to overlook the inherent problems throughout the middle and even the awful, awful beginning, if not for the awful, awful end. Sadly, This book is too flawed to be forgiven.

And what are those problems, you ask?

1. I Hate Everyone in this Bar

I despise the three main characters- i.e. Pearl, May, and Joy. So much for a sympathetic look at the female perspective. Women are jealous!!! Women back-stab and have rivalries!!! Women complain a lot!!! Women sleep with each other's crushes!!! Women get raped!!! Women's entire sense of self-worth is centered around if they can make babies!!! Women are completely selfish and have no concern for the feelings of others!!! Are we sure a man didn't write this book?

Okay, Shanghai Girls gets somewhat of a free pass in terms of the focus on marriage/children/women working at home/etc. because of the fact it's about 1930s-1950s Chinese culture. China is a more traditionalist society even today, with limited roles for women and high emphasis on family and a hierarchy within the family. This coupled with the time period makes their fixation on getting good husbands and having male children accurate. However, this does not excuse how completely infuriating they are as characters.

Pearl's jealousy over her sister is understandable, but very quickly got old. She spent much of the book complaining about something or other, then being chewed out by another character/realizing she was wrong, and so moving on to complaining about something else. It's a cycle that's repeated over and over and gets frustrating. That said, she is the most likable of the three. Her rape and her trauma over it are handled well, and after the 100-page mark her complaints mostly focus on racism or their troubles as immigrants. However, most of the plot is still just things happening to her rather than her having any agency of her own. Her only goal, until the end, is to 'survive'. You gotta give me more than that.

We see very little of Joy character-wise. For most of the book she's a child who doesn't get much dialogue, and is described as being the "perfect, quiet, obedient Chinese girl". Then towards the end she spontaneously becomes rude and insensitive beyond belief and exists only to insult her parents and spout out political nonsense she clearly doesn't really understand. ...Hell, I guess I'll give them points for accuracy to the average American teenager, but wasn't she, like, the opposite of that up to now? She's never given a scene where she behaves in a way that's sympathetic, so I don't sympathize with her. Yeah, yeah, go find your real father in Shanghai, whatever, I couldn't care less. It's not like the man you thought was your father for your entire life died yesterday. Nope, just go rushing off. I won't miss you.

And now we come to May. Dear god in heaven do I hate this character. I could go on for days about how much I hate her. I could write my college thesis on it. I could fill the pages of an encyclopedia set and still have more to say. If you allowed me to write down every nasty feeling this woman fills me with in a strip of paper it would be long enough to circle the earth several times.

Selfish, shallow, foolish, insensitive and blunt, inconsistently characterized, constantly playing the victim, refusing to take responsibility for anything, May is quite possibly the most terrible person to ever walk the face of the earth. It is impossible to feel sorry for her, even with her own hardships, because she makes it impossible. Everything is someone else's fault, or someone else's responsibility. Pearl's complaints never have any truth in her mind, they're just evidence of her selfishness and her not appreciating May enough when she does nothing but that. So many of the bad things that happen are the result of her doing something stupid or selfish and not telling anyone else about it. She makes me want to bash my head against the wall.

So, a book that tries to provide the female perspective of immigration in America during World War II and the years after does nothing but make me wish I was reading about the male characters instead. Bravo, Lisa See. You are truly a feminist hero.

2. Show not Tell and My Kingdom for Some Character Development

When I said the writing was clunky, this was primarily what I meant. Lisa See leaves nothing up to interpretation. Every last thought or opinion that the characters have is spelled out clearly, often with repeats, with increased melodrama and false emotionalism, for 300 pages. Because of this, the character development is all over the place, particularly Pearl's. Pearl is jealous of her sister. Now she learns that's wrong. Now she's jealous again. Now she's being modern. Now fifty pages later she realizes that that was stupid with no kind of transition between. Now she hates Sam. Now she likes him. Now she's traumatized over being raped. Now she's over it. Now she's traumatized again.

Traits and development arise and disappear as they become convenient for the plot. Changes in personality are acknowledged as an afterthought. Characters learn the same lesson over and over, or Pearl states their weaknesses over and over. The first person narrative is part of the problem, but in general Lisa See just seems confused over what her characters are supposed to be feeling and what that means, or who's in the wrong and who's not. Which brings me to:

4. I Have a Better Relationship With the Stale Cereal I Ate This Morning Than May and Pearl Have With Each Other

The plot of this book is supposed to revolve around the relationship between these two sisters. They are the focus, and every positive review I've seen describes the 'incredible bond' between them. Except... there is no bond.

That's not to say that they don't do things for each other- Pearl being raped by Japanese soldiers to spare her sister, May giving up her child, both of which are incredible sacrifices. But both of these things happen early on in the story. The rest- and majority- of the book is spent in conflict, and it all ends with a screaming match. They constantly bicker and back-stab each other, fighting for control in their families and over Joy. Pearl often says things like "me and May get along... until the next time we fight" or "even though she's horrible and I hate her we love each other so much, really". Lisa See wants us to believe how close these sisters are, but from what I can see they have nothing in common and would not in any way choose each other's company if they weren't related. But Pearl continues to insist that May is her 'best friend' and they'll always stand by each other- except for when they don't. It's just stupid rivalries and pettiness, over and over and over. Wow, what a bond.

5. Lisa See Doesn't Care About Any of the Other Characters

Once again, we're told things about characters and their relationships that we never get to see. We're told that Pearl and Sam love each other, but they only get a few short scenes together. We're told that everyone came to love Father Louie, but we don't see the progression of the relationships after his confession to his false citizenship. We're told that Sam and Pearl love Joy, but Joy is barely present as a character. We're told that Mama and Baba didn't love Pearl, and then later we're told that they did. May and Pearl are the only characters that are given any real attention, and the rest of the book amounts to a simple rattling off of events, tragedy after tragedy after tragedy.

6. That Damn Ending

Speaking of tragedy after tragedy after tragedy, Father Louie dies, Vern is bedridden, Joy joined a commie student group, Sam hanged himself and May had Z.Q's baby years ago. That too much to take in at once? Well, too bad, because this all happens in the last 30 pages. Highly emotional and interesting events pass by in a blur, all rushing towards the blowout between May and Pearl that made me physically angry to read, and Joy deciding she's just going to rush off to Communist China to find some guy her Aunt/birth mother had sex with twenty years ago, immediately after her adoptive father died and her adoptive mother/Aunt is in a state of hysteria. That too much to take in at once? Well, too bad, that was the last five pages.

The revelation of Z.Q. being Joy's father was shocking, by which I mean I saw it coming 200 pages ago and it just gave me another reason to dislike May. I was waiting for Joy to find out about her parentage for a while, but the fact that I know nothing about Joy as a character and that the book ends with Pearl simply deciding to go after her meant that there was no emotional punch to the revelation or any kind of resolution for it. It's like the entire book just exists to set up a sequel. Or that Lisa See meant to keep going and got bored. I have no goddamn idea, but I'm sure of one thing- I will not be reading the sequel. If I have to hear the phrase 'husband-wife thing' one more time I think it might kill me....more

I really loved this book, it's one of my favorites and a must-read if you like asian literature. Lisa See builds a great story that spans over the 18 or so years that this novel takes place. At the beginning Pearl and May seem like rebellious teenage girls but soon have to grow up into young independent women because of their father's mistakes. Through all their hardships Pearl and May maintain that strong sisterly bond but, as any pair of sisters, they know how to get on each other's nerves andI really loved this book, it's one of my favorites and a must-read if you like asian literature. Lisa See builds a great story that spans over the 18 or so years that this novel takes place. At the beginning Pearl and May seem like rebellious teenage girls but soon have to grow up into young independent women because of their father's mistakes. Through all their hardships Pearl and May maintain that strong sisterly bond but, as any pair of sisters, they know how to get on each other's nerves and really hurt one another. Still it's lovely to see how they've supported one another throughout the novel, even through all their differences. I really liked how the author made this a dynamic story, it doesn't just cover the sisters but the Louie family and some Chinese/American history as well. I was very intrigued by the family's experiences in America and it really gave me some insight on the racism faced by Chinese immigrants in the 1930s and 40s. In general I'm fascinated by asian cultures so I'll definitely be reading more of Lisa See's books, such as the sequel to this book "Dreams of Joy," which seems very promising. Overall a fantastic read and highly recommended. ...more

I have to say that writing this review actually pains me. I love Lisa See and I respect her artistry and her unique narrative voice. I’ve enjoyed all of her books and I truly wanted to love "Shanghai Girls." Unfortunately, though, I found this to be a rather lackluster novel.

Lisa’s writing, as always, flows beautifully. Her characters are complex and her grasp of Asian cultural mores is astounding. I wish I could pinpoint exactly what didn’t "work" for me, but the novel, as a whole, seemed longI have to say that writing this review actually pains me. I love Lisa See and I respect her artistry and her unique narrative voice. I’ve enjoyed all of her books and I truly wanted to love "Shanghai Girls." Unfortunately, though, I found this to be a rather lackluster novel.

Lisa’s writing, as always, flows beautifully. Her characters are complex and her grasp of Asian cultural mores is astounding. I wish I could pinpoint exactly what didn’t "work" for me, but the novel, as a whole, seemed long-winded, overly-plotted, and, ultimately, unfulfilling. I'm certain that "Shanghai Girls" will appeal to many, many readers; for me, it was a slight misstep in the canon of an author I still greatly admire and respect. ...more

Pearl and May are two young, beautiful girls living in the modernized Shanghai. Everything seems to be perfect until their father tells them that he is broke and has to sell both her daughters to Gold Mountain Men (Chinese men living overseas who comes back in search for Chinese brides). They are arranged to embark for San Francisco, but Pearl throws away their tickets, insisting that she does not want to live her life with a man she does not love.

The bond between Pearl and May is special and stPearl and May are two young, beautiful girls living in the modernized Shanghai. Everything seems to be perfect until their father tells them that he is broke and has to sell both her daughters to Gold Mountain Men (Chinese men living overseas who comes back in search for Chinese brides). They are arranged to embark for San Francisco, but Pearl throws away their tickets, insisting that she does not want to live her life with a man she does not love.

The bond between Pearl and May is special and strong. As the elder sister, Pearl has a feeling that she has the responsibility to look after May, and always does her best to keep her safe. During the Japanese invasion, Pearl and her mother suffered the humiliation of being raped repeatedly by Japanese soldiers. Pearl sacrificed herself to protect her sister from being ravished by the cruel men because she knew that the soldiers are bound to search the place and finally find them (she and May), who were not concealed safely under the wooden planks.

During their confinement at Angel Island, the 18-year-old May gives birth to a child in result of a premarital relationship with a man. For fear of being rejected by her in-laws, May pleads her sister to accept the child, named Joy, as her own. At first, Pearl intends to run away, but after many years living with the Louies, she begins to have a feeling of home and family, although Chinese are constantly discriminated by the Americans.

The characters of this story are very well drawn, especially Old Man Louie's stinginess and fatherly concerns and Pearl's determination, stubbornness, fears and weaknesses. Pearl's character can be summarized by this sentence:

"We’re told that men are strong and brave, but I think women know how to endure, accept defeat, and bear physical and mental agony much better than men."

The story has an excellent plot, which implores me to keep on reading. I really take my hat off to the truth and lies that Lisa creatively inserted into the story. They never fail to make me surprised and shocked at the same time. I have always loved Lisa's way of writing : There is a smooth flow and strong transitions, which makes me to understand and follow the story easily. Even though I love the story, I have a feeling that Shanghai Girls ended too abruptly. I didn't expect it to end so soon and was earnest to read the next chapter, but when I turn the page - there's the acknowledgments page.

Shanghai Girls explores the loving yet conflicted relationship between sisters --- how they support each other during bad times, share the happiness during good times and blame each other when something bad happens. Towards the end of the novel, each of them finally confronts each other, pouring out all their anger and hurt which they have kept in their hearts for so long.

Your sister is the one person who should stick by you and love you no matter what, but she’s also the one person who knows exactly where to drive the knife to hurt you the most.

As the adage goes, blood is thicker than water, Pearl and May eventually becomes supportive of each other again when there is a problem. Their sisterly-bond can never be destroyed. Lisa See brings us on a provocative journey along with Pearl and May, from Shanghai to Angel Island and finally to America. She has once again exhibited her gift and talent in writing through this amazing and gripping novel, Shanghai Girls.

Shanaghai Girls a novel by Lisa See tells the story of twenty one year old Pearl Chin and her younger sister May . Both girls are modern and carefree living in 1937 shanaghai the Paris of Asia until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth and that to repay his debts he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have travelled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides. As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city Pearl and may set out on a journey of a lifetime.

This bShanaghai Girls a novel by Lisa See tells the story of twenty one year old Pearl Chin and her younger sister May . Both girls are modern and carefree living in 1937 shanaghai the Paris of Asia until the day their father tells them that he has gambled away their wealth and that to repay his debts he must sell the girls as wives to suitors who have travelled from Los Angeles to find Chinese brides. As Japanese bombs fall on their beloved city Pearl and may set out on a journey of a lifetime.

This book gives a fascinating look at another culture and another time in both Chinese and American history and I learned a lot from this story.I enjoyed this novel and found Lisa See a good story teller. The first part of the book, which described life in Shanghai was really interesting and I loved learning about the girl’s life in Shanghai and the history that went with the time. Midway through the novel the author lost me as I found the story lagged and I lost interest. The novel does pick up again toward the last few chapters and I found myself engrossed again.

Overall I liked the story and the characters and of course the history content and would have given this book 3.5 if I could.....more

Shanghai Girls is a historical novel that covers twenty years in the life of Pearl and her sister, May, as they move from a life of privelege to poverty to escaping Japanese attacks on Shanghai. They are sold in marriage to a couple of Chinese-American brothers and travel to Los Angeles by way of Angel Island in San Francisco. Once in LA, they experience prejudice, poverty and segregation.

The book was a quick and easy read, but I don't think it benefited from that. It really needed t(3.5 stars)

Shanghai Girls is a historical novel that covers twenty years in the life of Pearl and her sister, May, as they move from a life of privelege to poverty to escaping Japanese attacks on Shanghai. They are sold in marriage to a couple of Chinese-American brothers and travel to Los Angeles by way of Angel Island in San Francisco. Once in LA, they experience prejudice, poverty and segregation.

The book was a quick and easy read, but I don't think it benefited from that. It really needed to be twice as long to cover everything that it tried to cover. It was rich in historical detail, but fell a bit flat emotionally. It seemed like I should have felt more horror, sympathy, fear and joy about the things that were happening than I did. I felt like I got a detailed, yet somehow superficial view of the mid-century Chinese experience in LA than I did.

I'm in no way saying that I didn't like the book or that I wouldn't recommend it. I did enjoy it, I learned a few things from it, and I would recommend it. I just felt like it could have been so much more....more

This book had so many twists and turns, I read it practically in one sitting. All in all, I was entertained!

However, the writing style didn't seem authentic to me. Even though the book is mostly set in the early-mid 20th century, the narrator seems to speak to the reader in modern discourse, and every once in a while, a dialog is peppered with typical phrases of the times. Worse than that, is how forced all of the historical details are sewn into the story. It was sort of like having a conversaThis book had so many twists and turns, I read it practically in one sitting. All in all, I was entertained!

However, the writing style didn't seem authentic to me. Even though the book is mostly set in the early-mid 20th century, the narrator seems to speak to the reader in modern discourse, and every once in a while, a dialog is peppered with typical phrases of the times. Worse than that, is how forced all of the historical details are sewn into the story. It was sort of like having a conversation with a name dropper. It felt that the author was desperately trying to prove how historically accurate she could be by constantly adding superfluous details, and sometimes repeating them later, just in case you didn't get it the first time around (or perhaps picked up reading months later?). I kept thinking, this woman clearly has done a lot of research on this era and/or has done a lot of interviews for the anecdotes. When I read the acknowledgements, she admits this, but really, it shouldn't have felt so obvious at the time. It was very distracting!

With that said, I DID like that she shared so many details, however, the way it was done was poor.

I do have another of her books and will read it, but I am weary that it may be done in the same way....more

First of all, I have to get something off my chest. The previous Lisa See books I've read have not had a picture of the author on the jacket. This is her third book with a Chinese setting and Chinese characters. Her last name sounds like it could be Chinese, right? So I've been picturing a Chinese author all these years. This book jacket has a picture, and guess what? Not Asian. Not a huge deal, but interesting nonetheless.

Shanghai Girls is the story of May and Pearl, two spoiled and educated giFirst of all, I have to get something off my chest. The previous Lisa See books I've read have not had a picture of the author on the jacket. This is her third book with a Chinese setting and Chinese characters. Her last name sounds like it could be Chinese, right? So I've been picturing a Chinese author all these years. This book jacket has a picture, and guess what? Not Asian. Not a huge deal, but interesting nonetheless.

Shanghai Girls is the story of May and Pearl, two spoiled and educated girls living in Shanghai in the 1930s. When their father's business fails, he sells them off to marry the sons of a rich American merchant. The girls, raised to be intelligent and independent, try to get out of the situation, but get caught in the Japanese invasion of Shanghai and see escaping to their American husbands as the best alternative. For the next twenty years, they try to adjust to life in America, which is not at all what they expect it will be.

As a story? Meh, I liked Snow Flower and the Secret Fan a lot better. May's character is fairly unlikeable. Pearl's was more complex-- her transformation from fashionable "beautiful girl" in Shanghai to a scared first-generation immigrant was realistic and interesting. But the story's ending seemed flat and rushed, and the book as a whole didn't move me. ...more

I swear I didn't just pick up this book becaue the main character's name was Pearl Chin. All right, that was part of it, but I also just found the premise -- about two Shanghai sisters leaving their glitzy city lifestyle behind to immigrate to Los Angeles's Chinatown in the 1930s -- impossible to refuse. Growing up in a heavily Asian American town and now living in a profoundly diverse one, I'm fascinated by any story that sheds light on what the minority experience was really like for early ChiI swear I didn't just pick up this book becaue the main character's name was Pearl Chin. All right, that was part of it, but I also just found the premise -- about two Shanghai sisters leaving their glitzy city lifestyle behind to immigrate to Los Angeles's Chinatown in the 1930s -- impossible to refuse. Growing up in a heavily Asian American town and now living in a profoundly diverse one, I'm fascinated by any story that sheds light on what the minority experience was really like for early Chinese-Americans who were literally outcasts in a white man's world. Lisa See's so good at humanizing history, and while not a whole lot happens in terms of plot (and the ending is rather unsatisfying), she manages to make even seemingly mundane events like working a family restaurant or doing household chores seem interesting because they speak so realistically to the period. Her characters are fully developed with their own unspeakable tragedies, petty jealousies/fears, and best of all, unflinching courage and spirit. The women in her books are never perfect but always strong. ...more

Maedot AdmassuI enjoyed reading the novel, but I don't agree with you in that there was a full character development for Pearl and May. I liked that the story folloI enjoyed reading the novel, but I don't agree with you in that there was a full character development for Pearl and May. I liked that the story followed the life of immigrants and how they adapted into their new surroundings. As an immigrant myself, I can relate with the hardships the sisters and the Louis family went through, which is probably the only thing I really liked about this novel.See did a great job in portraying the fight to live mentality many immigrants deal with on a daily basis, such as the long hours the Louis family worked (See 140).

But even throughout their fleeing of China and going to a foreign land, Pearl and May still acted like spoil girls who thought their problems were the only bad things that happened in the world. They went through hardships yes, but they acted like it was a phase. They didn't grow from it and instead kept to the same mentality they had when they were in Shanghai, by still going out on adventures (May), while leaving the work to others (See 137).

Overall it was an okay novel, but it would have been greater if Pearl and May were able to develop to women with responsibilities....more
Apr 25, 2015 10:42AM

PearlThere's a continuation of this book called dreams of joy, if you're seeking greater growth in pearl and may..

Personally I thought there was enough trThere's a continuation of this book called dreams of joy, if you're seeking greater growth in pearl and may..

Personally I thought there was enough tragedy in their lives to make their characters compelling and not unchangingly spoiled. They certainly tried to live their Shanghai city life, but at least one sister stepped up in the end to control and unfolding mess. Enough responsibility for me....more
Apr 25, 2015 12:54PM

Lisa See is a Chinese-American author. Her books include Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005), Dragon Bones, and On Gold Mountain. She was named the 2001 National Woman of the Year, by the Organization of Chinese American Women. She lives in Los Angeles.

“May and I are sisters. We'll always fight, but we'll always make up as well. That's what sisters do: we argue, we point out each other's frailties, mistakes, and bad judgment, we flash the insecurities we've had since childhood, and then we come back together. Until the next time. ”
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“We hug, but there are no tears. For every awful thing that's been said and done, she is my sister. Parents die, daughters grow up and marry out, but sisters are for life. She is the only person left in the world who shares my memories of our childhood, our parents, our Shanghai, our struggles, our sorrows, and, yes, even our moments of happiness and triumph. My sister is the one person who truly knows me, as I know her. The last thing May says to me is 'When our hair is white, we'll still have our sister love.”
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